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Empire of the Sands – Xerxia
Empire of the Sands – Xerxia An ancient harsh land filled with ruins of forgotten nations, mysterious of the times before, and home of the nation of Xerxia. Well known to be where only the strong are known to prosper, the weak often finds themselves struggling or as property. Slavery is well established with a long tradition, as long as the development and trade of various drugs that exist within the burning red sands. Xerxia rests south of the main of Bakra, within the Xerxia Sands (Red Desert) and has existed, in some form, since the Kingdom of Bakra was formed. Though the scholars of Xerxia believe it has existed, in some variant, since the time of the Empire of Volan. The nation honors the Seven Ancients when speaking in terms of faith. Xerxia is currently ruled by the Sekhemti – Aapep and Tawaret. Climate/Geography Xerxia is a land well known, often to the point of infamy, for its extreme high temperatures, rolling sand covered lands, and harsh dusty badlands – but to say just that would be a crime, as Xerxia has much more. The great rivers, Kemiteru and H'pi, give much life in the forms of plants, including trees, and many forms of wildlife – including aquatic and amphibious. It is near these rivers most of the Xerxian civilization exists. The small oases and the great oases are scattered throughout the sands where heavy concentrations of subterranean water exist, these spots are the difference between life and death for many forms of life in the desert. It hardly rains in the red sands of Xerxia save during the brief rainy season, every winter time, that leads directly into the flooding season of the great rivers. The dry season, summer, is the windiest and warmest time of the year in Xerxia, and typically its deadliest. The rolling sand dunes are what is best known about Xerxia, their red sands captures much of the heat from the sun and as result makes travel during the day difficult and dangerous. At night though, the desert becomes as if another place – the red sand takes on a purplish hue without the light of the sun and it becomes intensely cold as nothing holds the heat of the day. The wind during the evening feels as if it is from a polar region, cutting to the bone, as no heat seems present within it – yet during the day, it is dry and bitter hot and helps bring one to thirst even more than they had been. The sand blown by these winds is abrasive and annoying, painful to open cuts, but typically not overly harmful or deadly less the winds howl with a monstrous roar and become a great wind storm or twister. These wind storms host winds that blow incredibly hard and fast, and with the presence of much sand within it, it can blast exposed flesh down to the bone in moments with even further prolonged exposure leaving nothing behind.. These wind storms, or sand storms, can cover vast areas at a time, often several miles at the least. The twister variant are just as deadly, if not more so, though in a smaller range of affliction. Winds that blow in a twisting formation, howl loudly, and seem to touch only a small portion of the sands – their winds are strong enough to pick up people/animals and hurl them through the air but their extent of reach is more limited, the true destruction lies where the storm touches the sand. The path of its run can often expose things long hidden in the desert, but it can destroy nearly any would be settlement (which these storms seem to have a strange fondness of destroying camps). Luckily for travelers, most of these storms are incredibly hard to miss, thanks to both sound and sight. The valleys that run either side of the great rivers, Kemiteru and H'pi, are unlike the rest of the desert outside the oases and lands held by the Consortium of Keryla. The Great River Valleys, as they are often called, are green and filled with much life. Their weather is a bit more tolerable thanks to the flora that can absorb some of the heat to keep it cooler during the day and warmer at night. The rivers are fresh water and home to many types of fish and other animals, that seem to prosper well here – including the deadly crocodile. As a result of the tolerable weather, the food and water sources, this region of the Xerxian Sands has become the center of Humanoid life. The great Empire, Xerxia, has its capital city of Khasetju located upon the crest of the western valley of the river Kemiteru (the western river) – overlooking the valley and river and bordered by the great red sands on the other side. It is important to note why most of the settlements are along the crest of the valley, and not specifically next to the river itself, and this is due to the annual flooding season. This flooding is very beneficial to the valleys as it washes away some of the spent old soil and deposits fresh soil from the White Sea as well as soak into the land to store water for another year. This region of the Xerxia also sees the most rain, even some outside the rainy season. During the flooding season, it is not just the great rivers valleys that benefit from it but also the more lateral running wadi. These wadi are valleys where when the rainy season begins and until after great rivers flood, are overflown with water in these paths and become green and rich with life for a few months. This also occurs to other wadi, in locations near oases or where ancient rivers once flowed, and are often affected by both the rainy season and flooding season. This rain and flooding often is the only time the oases have a chance to renew their water, without it, they will dry up and sometimes be unable to be restored even with fresh water. Some rituals are done by the desert nomads to ensure these water sources remain. Sometimes known as the flowering of the desert, it is when long hidden seeds in the soil beneath the sands awaken and grow with the fresh water. It is a time of life in the desert and often is synched with the mating season of animals. There is an infamous path between the great city of Khasetju and the forested lands of Abele. It is known as the Great Road, the Crying Road, the Slave Path, and by many other names. It is one of the few permanent roads in all of Xerxia. Stone laid, it is a long singular unbroken road that travels westwards toward the natural land bridge known best by as the Slavers Bridge. Many settlements exist along it, especially wherever a nearby oasis exists, and serve as rest stops and trading posts. It should be noted this region is unusually quiet with wind and sees very few storms, it is also noticeably not as horribly hot or cold. Some believe this is due to ancient spells or wards placed, but some think it is due to a darker agreement between the Emperor and some unseen force. The western portion of Xerxia, beyond the reaches of the wadi of the river Kemiteru and approaching the lands of Abele and Jabloko, sits the badlands known as Baldía. Baldía is a dry rocky region that is constantly plagued by the the red sands blowing from the main portion of the Xerxian Sands. It has some plant life, though mostly types of low growing grasses or woody-like plants. The area is home to many ravines, canyons, gullies, hoodoos and the likes. It is very difficult area to travel by foot. Most of the area has a very dark black to red hues about its land due to the presence of various minerals and clays that make up much of the area. In times long ago it is thought a massive river snaked its way through and it is why the current landscape is seemingly so scarred. The largest of these canyons is the one known as Cyperus and winds almost half of the length of the Xerxian Sands (north/south) save where it seems to merge into the Slavers Bridge in the north. The winds that howl through the region are known to add to the erosion of the stone, slowly over centuries shaping the stone into new shapes. This region has more rainfall than the most of the Xerxian region and this is evident in the more abundant plantlike. It is a more tolerable place in terms of temperatures as well, though it still lingers on the hot end of things during the day and cold at night. The Consortium of Keryla, an independent faction of the Empire of Xerxia that focuses in magic and technological discoveries, has made its home at the base of the great Cyperus Canyon next to the river Kriska. The River Kriska is believed to be all that is left of the once ancient great river that formed the region. It is a fresh water river and flows from north to south, emptying into the White Sea. History Xerxia has existed since well before the Empire of Volan. It a fragmented land that hosted many petty kings that fought one another for sections of the lands, especially of the great river valleys. Eventually two great kings sat at either river valley and throughout the many years waged war with one another. At some point the two kingdoms merged, ending hundreds if not a thousand years of conflict. This new nation, calling itself Xerxia, founded its capital in Khasetju, and was ruled by two kings, known as the Sekhemti. Great peace and growth occurred until the coming of the Empire of Volan. The Empire of Volan, which held most of what is now Bakra, warred with the nation of Xerxia. Xerxia, not having the military power to battle the Volans alone, began to seek aid from the powers beyond our realm. With the aid of some outsiders, the war turned on their favor. Seeing that defeat was approaching, the Volans called upon the demonic lord Abaddon to lay to waste the armies of Xerxia. Pleased by the hundred of thousands that were sacrificed to him, Abaddon tore through the armies of the Xerxians and soon began to burn the capital of Khasetju. Not willing to accept defeat, the Xerxians called upon the demonic lord Serent. Serent demanded a great sacrifice. Unwilling to slay their own, the Xerxians traveled west to the trade camps near the border of Abele. Peaceful relations with the Elves there soon turned violent and hostile as they captured and enslaved those that dwelt in the forests there. And it was soon thereafter that Serent joined the fray and did battle with his ancient rival, Abaddon. The two demonic lords destroyed much of both nations, rendering much to ash in their wake. Their minions ravaged the innocents as well as the militaries of both nations. Serent grew bored with the war in these lands and left, without warning, leaving Abaddon to continue the bloodshed to his delight. Even though, the great demonic lord sought now to destroy and take over both nations as his first footstep into the mortal realm. Seeing their mistake finally, the Volans called upon the ancient Seraphic Order and begged their mercy. Uninterested in the plight that the Volans called upon themselves, they intervened only to spare the rest of Zeiralyn of the nation's foolish and costly mistake. Their combined holy power was enough to force Abaddon in his height of power back through into the demonic realm along with the majority of his minions. It is thought some though continued to survive by hiding deep within the lands of both nations. Soon enough, Volan's military might still proved too much for the nation of Xerxia and they came under the control of the Empire of Volan. At first they suffered horrible sanctions against them due to their war and soon became filled with Volanian officials and soldiers. However, throughout the years, Xerxia earned back its ability to rule itself under the Empire's watcheful eye and even proved to be of great importance in many matters. This continued until the cultist haven of Bakra began to cause troubles for the Empire. Having once been an influential part of the Empire of Volan, the province of Xerxia was among the first to break free of the Empire's rule when it began to falter. This weakened the Empire greatly, who came to rely on the slave and drug slave that brought in much labor and coin for the Empire as a whole. Without this supporting them, the Empire began to enter a downward spiral. Despite the cries for aid and the promises of power and coin, Xerxia ignored the Empire and watched it crumble over time. Freed of the Empire, Xerxia focused on its own and sought to restructure itself. Over the course of many years, it became for the lack of a better term, an empire. All influences of Volan were rooted out and deposed of. The worship of the Seven Ancients was reestablished and soon it began to prosper once more throughout the Xerxian Empire. Despite claims that Khur was the chosen of the Seven Ancients, Xerxia does not honor that and instead believes the current Sekhemti are the living representatives of the Seven Ancients. Tensions with Bakra arose when Khur attempted to destroy all that was the Empire of Volan, including the great siege of Jzyfar where the Kreyan attempted to hold. Through diplomatic relations, it was assured that Xerxia was not of Volan any longer and it sought a neutral and peaceful relationship with Bakra. Following this many years of peaceful trade was enjoyed between the two nations for quite some time due to a similar religious belief (despite issues about how Khur was viewed). Their relationship has never developed beyond trade, and even to this day they will not stand with Bakra against another nation such as Bakra. When Khur destroyed Jzyfar and with many Kreyan still within the city, some fled to Xerxia. These outlanders were permitted into the nation as refugees, a sore spot on the relation with Bakra, and soon came to become a part of the population. Even some Bakrans, who were fearful of Khur's wrath in destroying what was once a beautiful city and culture, fled to Xerxia as well. A specific sect of the Xerxian people came into existence and became known as the Wesblood, Xerxians who have Kreyan blood in their veins and have a more Wesgistaran (Kreyan/Nevah) appearance. In addition, the sect that includes Bakran blood are known as Xerkran and are noted for their lighter skin tone and typical accent due to the sect dwelling near the northern border. Following Khur's victory and the formation of Bakra as a nation. Keryla, a great seer for the Sekhemti, began to issue her great visions that would come to pass. Keryla was special, even for a seer, she was blind and of great eternal beauty due to bloodline having been touched by an outsider during the great war with Volan. Her presence was viewed as necessary, but dangerous, for it was thought she would spit out lies as long as it kept her in a position of influence and power. Her predictions of the Great Plague, the Bakran/Ostaran Wars, the Xerkran lead Slave Revolts, and other similar potent visions earned her little praise. The date she gave for the Great Plague appeared wrong and as result she was burnt at the stake for lying to the Sekhemti and worrying the population. It as later proven by the cult that came to exist in honor of her visions. This cult, who would later widen its purpose in life, with the pursuit of knowledge, magic, and technology, became known as the Consortium of Keryla. Fearing for their own safety, they traveled west into the Baldía badlands and setup their base there. As warned by Keryla, the Great Plague began to ravage the lands outside the Empire and eventually enter into the holdings of the Xerkran in the northern portions of Xerxia, nearest to the Bakran borders. Forcibly isolated, they were left to die to quarantine the plague before it could reach the greater valley areas. Calling upon powers outside the realm of man, they were given the guidance to find the enslaved Abele Elves and rally them into revolting. Throughout the next several years, the Xerkran did so and lead to the greatest slave revolt in the history of Xerxia. Many died on both sides, before the Xerxian government crushed the slaves in a final battle known as Damnation of Xerkran. The leaders of the revolt, the Xerkran and several of the Elves, were put to death in some of the most horrific manners known. The slain slaves and Xerkran had their heads piked and lined the way to the border of Abele along the Great Road. Forever since, those of Xerkran bloodlines are seen as lower on the social scale. Some years following the great revolt, news of Angerius's attempted invasion of Westmore/Bakra came to be known throughout the Empire. This was marked as the start of the Bakran/Ostaran wars that Keryla foresaw. The Empire of Xerxia has remained neutral to the war and has been known to supply both sides of the conflict with various things, including slaves and drugs. They hold no desire for Westmore either, though have attended to various knightly games held there throughout the years. In more recent years there has been a number of issues for the empire. Increased hostility from the Abele Elves has slowed their slave importation, having lead to a debate about a full scale invasion. A number of demonic sightings have increasingly worried the faithful in Khasetju, fearing a potential invasion from the forces of Abaddon or even Serent – but a resurgence in the efforts of the Seven Ancient faith has calmed the people to a point. The first woman to serve as as a part of the Sekhemti, Tawaret, has many worried, though no one would dare openly judge her or suggest she step down without fear of her other half, and lover (Aapep), having them destroyed. And increasingly tension relations with Bakra, who has been ravaged by the plague, has kept the border lined with soldiers. Generalized Cultural Information The Xerxian people are strong and hardy. They have faced many deadly forces: the desert, the gods, the demons, and other Humanoids. Each time they have come out of it stronger and wiser. Great warriors and industrious in their own way, such as having to develop a method to farm the valleys of the great rivers each year and to keep it from being destroyed each and every time. They are a proud people with a long history of customs and traditions – ranging from the mundane like farming to exotic how to speak to the Sekhemti. They are pious and believe heavily in the faith of the Seven Ancients and of the Sekhemti's right to rule. Unlike what is believed of Khur, the Sekhemti are not immortal. They are thought to be living aspects of the Seven Ancients who bless and honor Xerxia with their presence for the extension of a mortal's lifespan, and upon death rejoin their patron gods before another set of aspects of the Seven are sent to rule among mortals once again. Children born of the Sekhemti are the potential vessels of the future aspects, and if they do not serve as Sekhemti, they are seen blessed mortals who are born of gods. The newly born are blessed by a priest of one of the Seven Ancients and that child is given a name in relation to that aspect of the faith. This birth name is their true name, in the view of the Seven Ancient faith, but their given name is what they wear on the outside to protect their true self. Slaves and children born from slaves are not given such names and are always wearing their birth name (name they are given when claimed/bought/born) without any method to shield it. On holy days, the free born, wear masks and go about using their birth name as the mask they wear on their face, just for that day, protects them as their given name does. On the birthdays of the Sekhemti, which of course changes depending on their actual birthdays, are the only day that everyone, if for just a few hours, are free to enjoy the wonders of life. These days are often the most busy days for the House of Favors, a pleasure seeking place. Great feasts are held and a grand set of games to prove who are the champions of the Sekhemti are held. One of the few days that even slaves may attempt to go advance in station, if they win at contests or bets. Courting is a rarity among the people as in general, most marriages are arranged between families to promote better relations and to increase the diversity of blood between generations of a family. The occasions it is used, it follows old methods that are considered “romantic” by modern definition – poems, songs, dances, flowers, gentleness, and many other features. Marriage, despite the lead up, is generally an agreement between fathers and the payment of dowries. Afterward, a large public party is held and much drinking and dancing is had. In some cases, a couple might run away together and be married elsewhere, usually a small private ceremony – these cases generally end with the couple shunned by their families. Day of Offering is a solemn day across the Empire. It is this day that a living sacrifice must be offered to the Seven Ancients to keep the demons at bay from the Empire. Typically it is one Humanoid from each village or several from a city. In general, they are slaves or prisoners that are offered, but in some cases a devout will offer themselves and such is seen as a way to honor one's family even if the devout had not lead a good life. Many other holy days are held and depending the area to what degree of involvement is required. Death is of course seen a part of life, a duality of life and death, that is constant in much of the art in the empire. The dead are typically buried or burned into ash, depending on desired method of burial. Those who are to be buried are not done always at the time of their death, it is when a sufficient number are ready to done. Their bodies are partially mummified to prevent rot or unpleasant spoilage of the body. And once enough are ready, the bodies are taken to the City of the Dead, Duataket to be entombed. Those burnt to ash would be taken and placed into honorific vessels or statues to help guard the location from undeath. Nobles, royalty, and the Sekhemti are all mummified using ancient techniques in the three books of Soul, Life, Death. They are buried into specialized chambers in Duataket where only the blessed may visit them – save in the case of the Sekhemti. The Sekhemti have the honor of being buried in any method they desire and anywhere they desire. Some in previous times had great mausoleums or even pyramid like structure built for them. Others sought to be buried as ashes in a guardian statues to continue their service of protection even after life, while even a few just desired their ashes to be spread across the waters of the two great rivers and rejoin the people. Demographics The Empire of Xerxia has a population within the range of six to seven million - though a portion of the number being enslaved and outcasts do not count. The following listing is of free peoples only. It is comprised primarily of Humans (80% = 60% Xerxians, 12% Bakrans, 5% Ostaran, 2% Kreyan, 1% other), a small Elven population (13% total = Abele Elves 10%, Aina at 2%, Lluthier 1/2%, and others 1/2%), a meager Dwarven population (2% total = Ironcrown 1%, Hammerstone 1/2%, Other 1/2%), a tiny population of Gnomes (2% total = Bluetongues 1%, Candlebeards 1/2%, Other 1/2%), Orcs can be found in the region at a population around (2% total), and other races making up a fragment of the whole population (1% spread between Zanawok, Halfling, Fey, etc.). The Human population is broken down into: Sekhemti: 2 Vizier: 2 Royalty: 200 members Nobility: 3% Magi: 6% (Apprentice level or lower 3%, Magus level 2%, Thaumaturge 1%) Military: 20% (standing professional at 18%, additional 2%) Church: 15% Freemen: 30% (farmer 16%, tradesmen/merchants 8%, others 6%) Indentured: 15% (serfs 10%, indebted 3%, other 2%) Slave: 10% Other: less than 1% For Humans the Male to Female Ratio is that for every 103 males there is 100 females. The average age for males is 25 and females 22. 25% of the Human population is literate.